Hackenberg, Penn State set to face Kent State's struggling defense

Penn St running back Zach Zwinak (28) celebrates with teammates Adam Breneman (81) and Jesse James (18) after rushing for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Central Florida in State College, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Christian Hackenberg is 18. He’s only been at Penn State since June. He’s played in only three games — not even his first Big Ten game yet.

But everyone wants to know more about the rookie quarterback who’s impressing as much with mental ability and calm demeanor as his big arm.

Finally, the testing waters are nearly gone.

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On Saturday, Hackenberg will grow up some more against Kent State and its struggling defense. After that, it’s a bye week, the Big Ten opener at Indiana and the rest of his football life that continues to pick up serious speed.

So far, he’s starting his career like no other Penn State quarterback.

While the size and strength were expected (6-foot-4, 220 pounds, good deep ball), his accuracy had to be proven.

He’s responded by completing 71 percent of his passes.

“It’s a high standard. He’s done a good job,” O’Brien said. “He needs to keep doing what he’s doing. Day to day, try to keep getting better every day... There’s six or seven plays within each game he needs to really improve on.”

“He’s a self-confident kid,” O’Brien said. “He’s sure of himself. He knows he has good ability.

“He’s a calm guy, which is great for me, because I’m not a calm guy... I think the team feeds off of that. The guys have a lot of confidence in him.”

Lifting up older teammates, like Zach Zwinak, after a critical fumble?

“Yeah, I think he does that naturally... He’s a mature kid,” O’Brien said. “Nowadays, when you look at recruiting, these kids are exposed to so much even before they get here. They’ve spoken to the media. Their picture has been on the front of magazines. Some of these guys like Christian, they’re kind of ready for this. They’re ready for the lights in some way, shape or form.”

But could even O’Brien have expected so much in September?

“He stayed on schedule... Like I always say, if you’re taking five classes on campus, this is your sixth class, especially playing quarterback.

“At this point, I’d give him a “B.”

They kept asking.

Was his progress on a time table? What should he improve next?

The more he plays, “he’ll have a better idea of what I call the ‘silent alarm’,” O’Brien said. “... as you drop back to pass, you have to know when the journey is over. If you think somebody is going to come open with a 6-5, 290-(pound) defensive end bearing down on you, you’re probably wrong. You need to get rid of (the ball), find a lane to scramble.”

Consider everything thrown at Hackenberg in the past three months: adjusting to college life, learning a complex playbook, leading a team and O’Brien’s sideline rants in his ear.

This weekend?

In comes a Kent State defense desperately holding on to the deck furniture as it slides off the ship.

That’s what it feels like to be drilled at home by Bowling Green, then mercy-ruled at LSU, only to trek into Beaver Stadium to face Hackenberg and his motivated buddies.

It’s bad enough that the Golden Flashes’ whirlwind runner Dri Archer probably won’t play with a bad ankle. Now, their defensive star, that nimble bull in the middle of the line named Roosevelt Nix, has a balky back.

Which all could be pointing to even more success for that kid quarterback, already with two Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.

Hackenberg certainly breezed through his first weekly teleconference with about 20 reporters — calm, direct and in control, as he is on the field.

Take this too-good-to-be-true answer when asked about his on-campus publicity:

“I usually just try to keep my head down. I just want to be recognized as a regular student during the day. I’m here doing the same thing everyone else is, trying to get an education. I just happen to play football, as well.”

So much of this presence was shaped by his father, Erick, a former college quarterback, and by his coaches at Fork Union Military Academy.

There, he learned that, as a quarterback, “You’ve got to be the rock, be the foundation.”

Which means he could be perfectly suited for a team reacting to its first loss of the season.

“When he makes a call, that’s what we’re sticking with because he’s the guy,” said Ty Howle, the fifth-year senior center. “That’s important.”

They just keep talking about the rookie.

Already, so many wondering just how good he will be.

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